Oil Paint
Oil paint is a slow-drying paint made with pigment and a drying oil binder. It is widely used for artwork because it blends smoothly and develops rich color.
Painter
John Wilde
John Wilde was an American Magic Realist known for intricate oil paintings on wooden panels, depicting surreal figures, animals, still lifes, and imagined worlds.
John Wilde quick facts
Wilde favored precise, meticulously rendered oil paintings on rigid wood supports, using knowledge of historic painting recipes and careful drawing.
| Born | 1919 · near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died | 2006 · Cooksville, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Movements | Magic Realism · Surrealism |
| Paint types | Oil paint |
| Painting surfaces | Wood panels · Tempered Masonite boards |
| Painting methods | Meticulous detailed oil brushwork on rigid panels; self-prepared painting medium informed by Medieval and Renaissance recipes |
| Common subjects | Surreal human figures, self-portraits, animals, domestic interiors, still lifes, dream imagery, nature, love, and death |
| Other media | Graphite drawing, silverpoint, lithography and etching; not classified as paint |
| Notable works | Work Reconsidered #1 (1950) · In the Hand (1957) · Happy, Crazy, American Animals and a Man and Lady at My Place (1961) |
Sources: Smithsonian American Art Museum: biography and detailed oil painting, Smithsonian: Happy, Crazy, American Animals and a Man and Lady at My Place, oil on wood, Whitney Museum: Work Reconsidered #1, oil on wood, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts: In the Hand, oil on tempered Masonite and handmade medium, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: Magic Realism and figurative style, Smithsonian Archives: life dates, Wisconsin and Magic Realism, and Estate gallery: Fruits of Winter, oil on board.
Paint types used
Oil paint defines Wilde's museum-documented panels, from miniature animal-filled scenes to carefully rendered figures and symbolic still lifes.
Surface types used
Wilde used rigid wood panels and tempered Masonite boards for small, intricate oils, creating stable grounds for precise figuration and visual detail.
Wood
Wood is a natural, porous material with grain patterns and absorbency that vary by species and cut. Its surface may also contain knots, resin, or an existing finish.
Painting Board
Painting board is a rigid artist support made from hardboard, wood, or another stable panel material. It may be sold raw or prepared with a medium-specific ground layer.
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